AnKing Lab Values Deck Wiki
Table of Contents
- Goal, Purpose, & Deck Breakdown
- Deck Formatting, Source, & Suggestion Guidelines
- Card Design Philosophy
- How to Contribute
- Maintainers & Contributors
- Disclaimer
Updated on: 04/08/2026
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1. 
Goal, Purpose, & Deck Breakdown
Our goal is to create a Lab Values deck based on the official NBME Laboratory Reference Values (updated March 2025) to help medical students quickly memorize and retain the reference ranges they will encounter on USMLE Steps, COMLEX, and NBME shelf exams.
The goal is to make it clear, high-yield, and easy to use for anyone.
This will be a free deck, continuing our mission to make high-quality medical education available to everyone. The focus is on accurate reference ranges, clinically relevant comparisons, and board-testable context.
How should I use this deck?
This deck is a supplement to your primary study resources. It is not a substitute for understanding the clinical significance of lab values; it is designed to ensure you have the ranges memorized cold so you can focus on clinical reasoning during questions.
Recommended approach:
- Unsuspend cards by system as you study that organ system in your curriculum
- Use the Extra field to build pattern recognition (e.g., iron study patterns, meningitis CSF profiles)
- Pair with UWorld/AMBOSS questions to see how values are tested in context
Breakdown & Overview of Tag Tree Hierarchy & Sections
▽ 🏷 #AK Lab Values
🏷 Arterial Blood Gases
🏷 Body Mass Index
🏷 CSF
▽ 🏷 Hematologic
🏷 Coagulation
🏷 Complete Blood Count
🏷 Other
▽ 🏷 Serum
🏷 Endocrine
🏷 General Chemistry
🏷 Hepatic
🏷 Immunoglobulins
🏷 Iron Studies
🏷 Lipids
🏷 Other
🏷 Urine
2. 
Deck Formatting, Source, & Suggestion Guidelines
Source
All reference ranges in this deck are sourced exclusively from the official NBME Laboratory Reference Values document:
NBME Laboratory Reference Values
Laboratory Values | NBME
PDF (updated March 2025): https://www.nbme.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/NBME_Laboratory_Reference_Values.pdf
Do NOT submit suggestions based on UpToDate, institutional lab ranges, or textbook values. This deck exists to match exactly what appears on your NBME exams. If a value conflicts with what your school teaches, the NBME value takes precedence for the purpose of this deck.
Card Format Standard
This deck clozes the lab value in one cloze, and in another cloze the relevant test so you can be tested both ways. All cards in this deck follow this format:
Front
Extra: Contains clinical pearls, comparisons to related values, high-yield board facts, and pattern-recognition aids.
Suggestion Guidelines
When submitting suggestions, please:
- Cite the specific NBME value if correcting a range
- Keep Extra field content high-yield: focus on board-tested clinical correlations, not obscure biochemistry
- Cross-reference related cards: if your suggestion affects one card in a group (e.g., iron studies), check that the related cards are consistent
- Use standard abbreviations: mEq/L, mg/dL, µg/dL, ng/mL, U/L, mm Hg, mOsmol/kg, etc.
- Do not add SI units to the main cloze: SI values may be placed in the Extra field for reference if needed
- Format Extra field content clearly: use arrows (↑↓) for patterns, keep mnemonics concise
What belongs in the Extra field?
Yes:
- Disease association patterns (e.g., iron study profiles in IDA vs. ACD vs. hemochromatosis)
- Key clinical thresholds beyond the normal range (e.g., CD4 <200 = AIDS-defining)
- Cross-references to related cards in this deck
- Distinguishing facts (e.g., ALT more liver-specific than AST)
- Common causes of false elevations/decreases
No:
- Drug dosing or treatment protocols
- Full pathophysiology explanations
- Correction formulas (e.g., corrected calcium, Winter’s formula)
- Personal notes or institutional preferences
- Unsourced or unverified claims
3. 
Card Design Philosophy
Why only NBME values?
Different labs, textbooks, and institutions use slightly different reference ranges. To avoid confusion and ensure exam readiness, this deck uses one authoritative source: the NBME reference sheet that is provided to you during USMLE and NBME shelf exams. If you know these ranges, you can answer any lab interpretation question on these exams.
The role of the Extra field
The Extra field transforms this from a rote memorization deck into a clinical reasoning tool. Patterns like iron study profiles, CSF meningitis panels, and ABG interpretation frameworks are where the real board points are. Memorizing “ferritin 20–250” is necessary but not sufficient; knowing that ferritin is low in iron deficiency but high in anemia of chronic disease is what gets you the question right.
4. 
How to Contribute
Submitting Suggestions via AnkiHub
- Find the card you want to suggest a change for
- Click the AnkiHub suggestion button
- Type in the appropriate change type:
- Content correction: a value, unit, or fact is wrong
- Formatting fix: cloze numbering, spacing, display issues
- Extra field addition: adding clinical context or comparisons
- New card request: a value from the NBME sheet is missing
Quality Standards for Suggestions
- Range corrections: Must include a reference to the current NBME reference document
- Extra field content: Should be verifiable from UWorld, AMBOSS, First Aid, or a major board-prep resource
- Formatting changes: Should follow the conventions in Section 2 above
5. 
Maintainers & Contributors
A huge thank you to the amazing maintainers for the creation and maintenance of this deck!
@TheAnKing, @Ahmed7, and @beejumm
6. Disclaimer
This deck is intended solely for educational purposes. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and alignment with the official NBME Laboratory Reference Values, we are not legally responsible for any outcomes, errors, or consequences resulting from the use of this deck.
Always verify information and consult official resources, guidelines, and institutional protocols before making any clinical decisions. This deck is a study aid, not a clinical reference tool.
Reference ranges can change when the NBME updates their document. We monitor for updates, but if you notice a discrepancy, please submit a suggestion so we can investigate.
